EXAMINATION IN PUBLIC OF Local Plan Hearing Statement in respect of Hearing Session 7 – Employment

On behalf of Jaguar

Contents Page

1 Introduction 3 2 Question d) 4 3 Question h) 13 4 Question k) 14

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1 Introduction

1.1 This Statement has been prepared by Gerald Eve LLP (Gerald Eve) on behalf of . It provides submissions in relation to Hearing Session 7 – Employment.

1.2 This Statement should be read in conjunction with earlier Representations submitted in respect of the draft Plan, as well as the Hearing Statements that are being submitted on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover in respect of other matters subject to Examination.

1.3 As set out within the Inspector’s Hearings Guidance Note, this Statement is limited only to matters considered necessary to assist consideration of the Sessions and specific questions raised.

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2 Employment - Question d

2.1 Question d) asks:

“Given the importance of Jaguar Land Rover as one of the biggest employers in the City and region, should the Plan include a standalone policy to ensure the necessary support to facilitate its continued expansion over the Plan period?”

Jaguar Land Rover – Company Profile

2.2 Jaguar Land Rover is a global business and the UK’s largest automotive employer, creating both direct and indirect jobs within the UK.

2.3 Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturing business, and in 2015, sold 487,065 vehicles in 160 markets. More than 80% of vehicles produced are exported, generating revenue of £18.1 billion. In recognition of outstanding performance Jaguar and Land Rover won 180 awards in 2014/15.

2.4 Jaguar Land Rover's UK operations take place at various locations, with three vehicle manufacturing plants - two in the at Castle Bromwich and Solihull, one is located near to Liverpool in Halewood - and two advanced design and engineering centres at Gaydon (Stratford District) and Whitley (Coventry). There are new facilities located at Fen End, near Kenilworth and Prologis Park in Ryton. Furthermore, Jaguar Land Rover has invested £1 billion in its Engine Manufacturing Centre near , which opened in 2015. The facility is expected to provide circa 1,400 jobs and construction is underway to add 85,000 sqm of additional floorspace to the manufacturing facility.

2.5 In the last five years, Jaguar Land Rover’s turnover has tripled and its workforce has more than doubled. The company now employs over 38,000 people with over 35,000 of those people based in the UK.

2.6 As well as direct employment, Jaguar Land Rover’s activities sustain some 240,000 jobs throughout the UK at dealerships, suppliers and local businesses.

2.7 Jaguar Land Rover recognises that continual advancement is critical to maintaining competitive and advancing vehicle design and technology in a sustainable manner. Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to advanced design and technology is reflected in the fact that the company is the biggest UK investor in R&D in the manufacturing sector and is in the 'global top 100 for R&D' spend. This is a responsible approach to ensuring the business grows in the future.

2.8 Jaguar Land Rover’s innovation is continuous. It invested £3 billion last year in product creation and capital expenditure to bring more new vehicles to market. Over the past three years the business has announced 11,000 new jobs, which is a significant step to helping the government achieve its aim of rebalancing the UK economy and meeting the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.

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2.9 Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive apprenticeship provider and some 900 apprentices have joined the company in the past five years. Its school Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths programmes engaged around 643,000 young people in the UK last year, including many schools close to its sites. In addition, almost 9,000 of its employees are enrolled in further and higher education.

2.10 In addition to the advanced design and engineering centres at Gaydon and Whitley, Jaguar Land Rover has invested heavily in a number of collaborative research and development programmes, in association with other partners and a number of higher education establishments in the West Midlands, to help create a workforce of highly skilled engineers, in an area long-associated with the automotive industry. These projects include the new £150 million National Automotive Innovation Centre at the University of , which Jaguar Land Rover is creating with partners including, Tata Motors European Technical Centre and WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group). When this facility opens it will become the innovation and research hub for approximately 1,000 researchers and engineers from Jaguar Land Rover and their academic and supplier partners.

2.11 Jaguar Land Rover is not only one of the main employers in the West Midlands, but is an integral part of the manufacturing future of the area and the UK as a whole. It is therefore essential that the business is supported by a facilitative planning framework that allows it to continue to grow.

The Current Whitley Site

2.12 Whitley is home to Jaguar Land Rover’s world headquarters and a global engineering centre for Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Facilities include an advanced powertrain engineering facility, as well as the Jaguar Design department. Approximately 5,400 people are employed at the 49 hectare site. As Jaguar Land Rover has expanded over the last 7 years so has the number of staff and operations at the Whitley site. The growth has now reached a point where the site is at capacity, placing pressure on accommodation at Whitley where its engineers, researchers and support staff are based and its engine and gearbox development and testing facilities are located. As such problems are currently being experienced with lack of suitable accommodation.

Resolution to Grant Planning Permission for Jaguar Land Rover at the Whitley Site

2.13 In accordance with the need for further growth at Whitley, an outline planning application was submitted to Coventry City (Ref: OUT/2016/0405) and Warwick District (Ref: W/16/0239) Councils on 8th February 2016, on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover and Coventry City Council to provide a mixture of uses which include: research and development facilities and light industrial uses, a hotel, car showroom accommodation, small scale retail and catering establishments, a park and remodelling of junctions on the existing highway network.

2.14 The Application site consists of land to the north and south of the A45 (between the Festival and Tollbar Island junctions on the A45 and A46), to the south of Jaguar Land Rover’s Global

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Headquarters and Whitley Business Park and north west of Coventry Airport. The development also includes works to land at junctions on the surrounding highway network, namely junctions of the A45 and A46 at Festival and Tollbar Islands; the junction of the A444 (Stivichall and Cheylesmore By-Pass) with the A4114 (London Road) and the junction of the A46 with Stoneleigh Road. Road).

2.15 On 26th April 2016, it was resolved that the Planning Committee is minded to approve those elements of the application within the administration area of Coventry City Council, subject to the conditions and subject to the Section 106 Agreement being signed.

2.16 In accordance with the resolution to grant, the Jaguar Land Rover development will expand the existing Whitley site to the south (Whitley South), which is part within Coventry City’s Local Plan, JE2:3 Whitley Business Park Employment Land Allocation. Within Warwick District Council, the site is located within Warwick’s Policy DS16, Sub-Regional Employment Site Allocation.

2.17 The Jaguar Land Rover development, comprises three main elements (as per the resolution to grant of the planning application):

• the creation of a technology campus, involving the development of up to 70,683 sq m of mixed B1 buildings intended primarily for Automotive technologies together with hotel(s) (Use Class C1); Retail unit(s) (Use Class A1, A3, A4 and A5); and car showroom(s), comprising:

o Up to 56,766 sq m of B1 (primarily B1b/B1c space) and car showroom(s) (of which a maximum of 4,645 sq m will be used for car showroom space)

o Up to 2,300 sq m of ancillary A1, A3, A4, A5 floorspace

o Up to 11,617 sq m of C1 floorspace.

• significant on and off site highway works; and

• the establishment of an extensive area of open space and strategic landscaping, incorporating public access and biodiversity enhancement.

2.18 It is considered essential that the emerging Local Plan provides continued support for this and other potential related development at Whitley which will facilitate the potential for future investment in Jaguar Land Rover’s research and development and engineering operations.

2.19 The expansion of the Whitley site will continue the technological advancement of engine and overall powertrain product design, including low emission vehicles, which is set to maintain Jaguar Land Rover at the forefront of automotive design and technology.

2.20 The development to significantly expand the existing operations at Whitley will deliver significant enhancements to help ensure the long-term sustainability of Jaguar Land Rover’s business at the site in Coventry and neighbouring Warwick, and within the wider

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Warwickshire district as a whole, helping meet the aspirations of stakeholders including the District, County and City Councils and Local Enterprise Partnership.

2.21 As a business Jaguar Land Rover needs to ensure that it can adapt quickly to external forces such as technological advances and changes in customer demand. Proposals for expansion at Whitley require adequate flexibility to allow for differing uses and activities to come forward, and policy support and acknowledgement of Jaguar Land Rover’s activities at Whitley South and their expansion within the Draft Policy DS16 Allocation site would be welcomed.

Whitley Expansion: The Need for Whitley

2.22 Following Jaguar Land Rover’s strategic decision to bring engine production in-house, the Company has invested £1 billion in the development of its Engine Manufacturing Centre at i54 in South Staffordshire, near Wolverhampton. This facility currently produces a range of efficient engines for both Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, which are sold around the globe. This facility has proved extremely successful and Jaguar Land Rover have recently announced it plans to significantly expand its Wolverhampton facility, to increase the number and range of engines it can produce.

2.23 To support its continued growth, the company intends to invest in its engine and gearbox development and testing facilities at Whitley. This will allow it to develop and build cleaner, greener technology to power its vehicles of the future.

2.24 The recent resolution to grant planning permission (Reference: OUT/2016/0405) at Whitley will therefore allow for the redevelopment of the existing Whitley site, to modernise and to expand its research and development and engineering operations. A major component of this is its plans to significantly expand the number of engineering test cells. Such a significant expansion is required, partly as a result of the in-house engine production (and further expansion) and the need to continue the technological advancement of engine and product design (the company has to also meet the different legislative requirements of each country that it sells its products within) but also because of the Company’s aspirations for advancement in low emission vehicles.

2.25 The new engineering test cells need to be located alongside the existing cells due to the infrastructure which is already in place, including a fuel farm and climate controlled testing laboratories, as well as the engineers and research and development staff who run the facility.

2.26 The Whitley South site is therefore needed to provide new engineering and research and development accommodation for relocated staff. It will also provide space for growth of the business. Due to the direct interrelationship of these employees with operations at Whitley and the expanded engineering test cells, proximity and co-location is essential.

2.27 The Whitley South site will allow Jaguar Land Rover to:

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• Reconfigure its existing site at Whitley and allow the construction of a significant number of new engineering test cells.

• Allow more engineering research and development to be carried out on the existing Whitley site.

• Construct a new engineering technology campus on Whitley South to accommodate new employees and employees relocated from the existing Whitley site.

2.28 The growth of the Company has placed significant pressures on its existing accommodation at Whitley. The Company continues to invest in research and development, with new recruits and more investment. Expansion of its Whitley site has therefore been critical. The expansion of engine production at Wolverhampton is underway and to meet its growth plans and the ambitious targets for emissions and technological advancement, additional engineering test cells must be operational quickly. The growth of the Jaguar Land Rover business in the UK will be restricted if plans for the Whitley site are not given the required policy support.

2.29 The Whitley South site also provides the opportunity for some of Jaguar Land Rover’s tier- one suppliers to co-locate. Such co-location will be advantageous for both Jaguar Land Rover and the suppliers; improving efficiency and helping to secure Jaguar Land Rover’s relationship with its UK based suppliers should they also choose to locate at Whitley South.

2.30 The aim is to deliver a high quality, high-tech automotive campus, with high quality built and landscape design. The site’s frontage onto the A45 provides the opportunity for Jaguar Land Rover to showcase its vehicles, an important component of business marketing particularly to overseas clients. The provision of hotel accommodation on the site will also provide an asset for the business at Whitley, creating accessible accommodation for employees and businesses visiting and working with Jaguar Land Rover and their suppliers.

2.31 It is in accordance with the above that this redevelopment has been required to provide space for the company’s future needs by increasing its footprint at their existing Whitley site.

2.32 Future plans for reconfiguration and development at the existing Whitley site are being advanced. It is intended that these will be submitted in 2016 through applications for the provision of new accommodation to house the engineering, research and development functions.

2.33 We acknowledge and welcome Coventry City’s Local Plan minor amendment (March 2016) in Policy JE1: Overall Economy and Employment Strategy, which makes recognition to Jaguar Land Rover, in stating that the Council will:

“e) Support companies, including Jaguar Land Rover, in retaining, expanding and/or relocating their headquarters operations within the city and support the provision of new infrastructure that encourages these companies to grow.”

2.34 We however consider that Jaguar Land Rover requires absolute certainty and policy support in order to have confidence in its ability to invest and expand its operations in the future as

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part of long term plan for Whitley within the district, which will be of benefit to the local, sub- regional and national economy, and to minimise planning risk.

2.35 A standalone policy is needed for the future expansion at Jaguar Land Rover’s existing Whitley site in order for the business to remain competitive and innovative as a leading automotive manufacturing business.

2.36 Given the importance of the Whitley site for the Jaguar Land Rover business, we consider that it is appropriate for a new standalone policy to be included alongside Policies JE1 and JE2.

New Standalone Jaguar Land Rover, Whitley South Policy

2.37 Jaguar Land Rover welcomes the formal policy allocations (draft Policy JE2) of the ‘Whitley Business Park’ (Allocation JE2.3), and ‘Land at Baginton Fields and South East of Whitley Business Park’ (Allocation JE2.4) for employment development, and the supportive text set out in connection with this policy and these specific allocations, identifying Jaguar Land Rover, of the emerging Local Plan. The importance of Jaguar Land Rover and the contribution to advanced research, manufacturing and engineering is further re-inforced within the Coventry & Strategic Economic Plan.

2.38 In addition to draft Policy JE2, it is considered imperative that a standalone policy is also included in the emerging Local Plan to identify, maintain and support Jaguar Land Rovers existing and future operations at the Whitley site within Coventry and neighbouring Warwick District in order to ensure the company’s continued success in the wider region and the competitive global automotive sector.

2.39 Jaguar Land Rover has very limited options to expand its other West Midlands sites, many of which are largely constrained by surrounding urban form. Expansion at the Whitley site, which is a key location specialising in the design and development of future vehicles and other automotive technologies, is critical to the future growth and progression of the business, and an integral part of the economic future of Coventry City and West Midlands more generally.

2.40 Given the employment benefits of the Jaguar Land Rover business as one of the largest employers in the City and the region, it is imperative that Jaguar Land Rover’s existing operations within Coventry City and the wider region, including neighbouring Warwick District, are formally recognised and supported. It is therefore considered that a standalone policy would provide the required support to ensure that Jaguar Land Rover’s aspirations for further expansion, over the plan period, facilitate its continued growth in the City and the wider region.

2.41 Furthermore, a standalone policy would provide Jaguar Land Rover the certainty required in order to have confidence in its ability to invest, expand and broaden operations in the future as part of the long term plans for Whitley and its operations in the West Midlands.

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2.42 We further highlight the positive approach that is being taken in neighbouring Stratford-on- Avon’s Core Strategy which was adopted by the Cabinet and Council on 11 July 2016.

2.43 The adopted Core Strategy identifies Jaguar Land Rover throughout and states, at Policy CS.22, that “a flexible approach will be taken to accommodating a wide range of employment generating uses, including public and community uses, on existing industrial areas.”

2.44 Additionally, Stratford-on-Avon’s adopted Core Strategy includes an area strategy, ‘Proposal GLH’ at paragraph 6.10.14 which is dedicated to the development of part of Gaydon/ Heath for Jaguar Land Rover activities. This reads as follows:

“What is to be Land comprising approximately 100 hectares at the delivered southern end of the allocation to enable the expansion of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to meet the business needs for uses that can include: • Research, design, testing and development of motor vehicles and ancillary related activities. • Other advanced engineering technologies and products. • Offices. • Low volume manufacturing and assembly operations. • Development of associated publicly accessible event, hospitality, display, leisure and conference facilities and marketing infrastructure. • Automotive education and training including ancillary accommodation.”

2.45 It is also noteworthy that during the EiP, the Inspector, in his Interim Conclusions letter to Stratford-on-Avon District Council (dated 18 March 2015) confirmed the following conclusions (extracts shown) in relation to Jaguar Land Rover:

“(i) JLR

123. The 100 hectare allocation between the existing JLR site at Gaydon Proving Ground and Junction 12 of the M40 has now been identified on a plan as the southern end of the GLH allocation143. As the Council observed in its statement specific objections to the JLR component of the allocation are not obvious. Although I accept that the allocation is locally controversial, considerations such as the loss of countryside and agricultural land yield to the national significance of what is being proposed. To underline the point, JLR told the Hearing that the allocation being sought in the CS is ‘…about keeping JLR in the UK’. 124. I have no reason to doubt that the firm’s existing facility at Gaydon is the largest facility of its type in the UK, where the firm’s cars are designed and tested at a unique research and development facility. Strategic Policy AS11, for the existing site, is essentially agreed and I shall comment on the detail in my final report, but the proposed allocation is envisaged to replicate that facility. Gaydon is said to have a pivotal role in JLR’s business

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and it is claimed to be the only facility where product development and innovation can take place. In that context there are limited options for where such a large scale facility could be accommodated. Although Gaydon Proving Ground comprises an extensive area of land its form and function would rule it out as a practical option for a plant of the scale being proposed. In view of the new link road to Junction 12 of the M40, which is already under construction, the proposed site is the only realistic option. 125. Although, given that the CS looks ahead to 2031, precise details of what is proposed are inevitably not available, I consider that the allocation is fully in line with the Government’s emphasis on building a strong, competitive economy. Paragraph 18 of the Framework says the Government is committed to securing economic growth in order to create jobs and prosperity. Paragraph 19 continues by stressing that the planning system should do everything it can to support and encourage sustainable economic growth, rather than to act as an impediment. It requires significant weight to be placed on the need to support economic growth through the planning system. Paragraph 20 says LPAs should plan proactively to meet the development needs of business. That is precisely what the Council has done here. …. 128. For these reasons I am happy to give the clear indication requested by JLR, to enable future investment decisions to be made, that the 100 hectare allocation is appropriate. I do not, at this stage, propose to express a view on whether it might be necessary for the allocation to be identified separately from any housing allocation. I merely record that it is conceivable that it could come forward on that basis.”

2.46 Similarly a positive approach was taken in the adopted Solihull Local Plan (December 2013) where the Council specifically identified (5.5.4) that the Council would contribute to economic growth by:

“supporting and encouraging a broad range of development at Jaguar Land Rover to facilitate its function as a major vehicle manufacturer and providing opportunities for the location of supply chain businesses within the Borough”.

2.47 Additionally, Policy P1 “Support Economic Success” within the adopted Solihull Local Plan states that:

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“Jaguar land Rover (JLR) JLR is important to the national, regional and local economy and is a major employer. JLR remains committed to the Lode Lane plant in Solihull and has the opportunity to develop advanced manufacturing, the low carbon economy and technology that will stimulate new skills and new opportunities. The Council will support and encourage the development of Jaguar Land Rover within its boundary defined in this Local Plan. This will include a broad range of development needed to maintain or enhance the function of Jaguar Land Rover as a major manufacturer of vehicles. The reasonable expansion of the site into the Green Belt will be given positive consideration where economic need can be demonstrated and appropriate mitigation can be secured.”

2.48 In light of the above, it is considered appropriate that a formal, standalone policy be included in the emerging Local Plan. It is considered that the inclusion of a policy is justified and its absence does not present the most appropriate strategy when considered against the reasonable alternatives.

2.49 Jaguar Land Rover is committed to a significant investment at Whitley and within the District and wider region, for delivery of new investment within the plan period. It is critical for Jaguar Land Rover to continue to secure and develop its activities in order to facilitate the potential for continued success in the competitive global motor manufacturing industry. Any adverse impact from significant infrastructure projects such as HS2 must also be mitigated in order to ensure that both existing and future operations of the business are not compromised, in terms of design, construction period, implementation, and day to day operation including supplier and logistic routes.

2.50 Expansion within Coventry City is therefore key to Jaguar Land Rover’s future and an integral part of the economic future of Coventry City and the West Midlands more widely. Similarly it is considered appropriate for a Local Development Order to be considered for some development which would provide further certainty for future development and investment.

2.51 Suggested wording for an additional policy for Whitley in the emerging Warwick Local Plan is as follows:

“Whitley – Jaguar Land Rover: Jaguar Land Rover is a global business with a significant presence in Coventry and the West Midlands. It is the UK’s largest automotive employer and one of the region’s largest employers. Jaguar Land Rover creates a substantial contribution to the local and regional economy, providing direct and indirect employment, and is an integral part of the manufacturing future of the area and the UK as a whole.

The very special economic circumstances of the Jaguar Land Rover site are recognised by the City Council and Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Planning

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policies in respect of the site are intended to positively plan for the consolidated and appropriate growth of existing activities.

The Council supports further appropriate growth and development of Jaguar Land Rover at Whitley which could including cross-boundary working regarding the parts of Whitley that are located within neighbouring Warwick District. Supporting infrastructure over the life of the plan may include new access junctions, cycle lanes, bus links, heavy rail and rapid transit links as set out within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

The Council will support and encourage the expansion of Jaguar Land Rover at Whitley form appropriate uses, in order to stimulate new economic growth, skills and opportunities and to enhance and maintain the function of a world-class automotive site.

Development and expansion of operations to meet Jaguar Land Rover’s business needs will be given positive consideration.

Uses can include:

• Research, design, testing and development of vehicles and ancillary related activities; • Other advanced engineering technologies and product development; • Powertrain protoype facilities; • Offices; • Low volume manufacturing and assembly operations. • Development of associated publicly accessible event, hospitality, display, leisure and conference facilities and marketing infrastructure. • Event, hospitality, display, leisure and conference facilities and marketing infrastructure; and • Automotive education and training facilities including ancillary accommodation.

The Council will also consider the implementation of a Local Development Order in order to streamline the delivery and implementation of development proposals at Jaguar Land Rover.”

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3 Employment - Question h

3.1 Question h) asks:

“Do the Plan’s policies and proposals adequately address the needs of all employment- generating sectors of the economy?”

3.2 As set out in our response to Question (d) in this Hearing Statement, Jaguar Land Rover welcomes the Local Plan’s minor amendment (March 2016) in Policy JE1: Overall Economy and Employment Strategy, which sets out that the Council will support companies, including Jaguar Land Rover; and welcomes the formal policy allocations (draft Policy JE2) of the ‘Whitley Business Park’ (Allocation JE2.3), and ‘Land at Baginton Fields and South East of Whitley Business Park’ (Allocation JE2.4) for employment development, including Class B1b&c, B2 and B8 Uses as having the potential to contribute to the overall supply of employment land.

3.3 Notwithstanding the above, we do however consider that an additional standalone policy for Jaguar Land Rover at Whitley, as set out at paragraph 2.49 of this statement, is also required to support and direct future growth within specific non-office sectors, including Research & Development, Manufacturing and Engineering, and Automotive activities into existing, sustainable and appropriate locations, such as the District’s existing and established Jaguar Land Rover sites.

3.4 Furthermore, having regard to the strategic significance of Jaguar Land Rover, within both the District and region, and given the unique activities required by the business and its specific needs; a standalone policy (specific to Jaguar Land Rover) is necessary to provide the required support and flexibility for uses, including for example Powertrain prototype facilities, marketing infrastructure; and automotive education and training.

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4 Employment – Question k

4.1 Question k) asks:

“Are the employment policies in the Plan flexible enough to allow for a rapid response to a change in economic circumstances?”

4.2 As a business Jaguar Land Rover needs to ensure that it can adapt quickly to external forces such as technological advances and changes in customer demand. Proposals for expansion at Whitley require adequate flexibility to allow for differing uses and activities to come forward, and policy support for this would be welcomed.

4.3 Draft Policy JE2: Provision of Employment Land and Premises, seeks to allocate a total of 101ha for employment development across the City, Jaguar Land Rover welcomes the formal identification of the ‘Whitley Business Park’ (Allocation JE2.3), and ‘Land at Baginton Fields and South East of Whitley Business Park’ (Allocation JE2.4) which include the majority of Jaguar Land Rover’s existing and planned future operations within Coventry.

4.4 In addition Jaguar Land Rover supports the draft supporting text, which states that:

“26.5ha of greenfield land at Whitley Business Park in the south east of the city are also allocated for a mix of research and development, industrial and storage/distribution uses (B1, B2 and B8) in accordance with previous planning approvals for employment development on this site. The site occupies a key location adjacent to the world headquarters of Jaguar Land Rover at Whitley. The site also lies adjacent to the A45/A46 strategic highway network. Whitley Business Park was allocated as an employment site in the 2001 Coventry Development Plan but has remained undeveloped for many years with access problems in particular being cited as a constraint to the site’s development. However, the attractiveness of the site to occupiers has recently been enhanced by highway improvement works comprising a new vehicle bridge and slip roads which have significantly improved access. Detailed planning approval has recently been granted for a large B8 unit on 18ha of the site and another planning application has recently been submitted for an industrial/warehouse unit (B1/B2/B8) on a further 3ha.

A further 25ha of greenfield land is allocated at Baginton Fields and South East of Whitley Business Park through removal of land from the Green Belt. It is anticipated that this site will provide further employment land for research and development, industrial and storage/distribution (B1, B2 & B8) occupiers seeking a location immediately adjacent to the A45/A46 strategic highway network and the Jaguar Land Rover World Headquarters site. Any redevelopment of this site will need to safeguard the environmentally sensitive adjacent Sowe Valley river corridor and Stonebridge Meadows Local Nature Reserve and compensatory provision will need to be provided for in respect of those parts of the site currently occupied by the King Henry VIII School playing fields.”

4.5 While we acknowledge that Jaguar Land Rover is recognised in the supporting text, concern is expressed that this policy itself does not acknowledge or formally support Jaguar Land

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Rover’s existing operations and future required expansion. Without this specific policy support within the Local Plan concern is expressed that, throughout the whole of the plan period, Jaguar Land Rover will not have the required confidence and flexibility to allow them to adapt and respond quickly to external forces and economic circumstances in order to remain competitive and innovative as a leading automotive manufacturing business within the City, wider region, and UK wide.

4.6 Accordingly, Jaguar Land Rover seek to a change the draft policy to formally identify Jaguar Land Rover and support the long term and future of existing operations at Jaguar Land Rover’s Whitley site and recognise the continued investment by Jaguar Land Rover within the City.

4.7 In addition to comments made in relation to draft Policy JE2, and as previously set out in this Hearing Statement, we consider a standalone policy is required for Jaguar Land Rover, as set out at paragraph 2.49 of this statement, in order to support and direct future growth; and provide the required flexibility for uses within Research & Development, Manufacturing and Engineering, and Automotive sectors which are required by Jaguar Land Rover to maintain competitive and to advance vehicle design and technology in a sustainable manner.

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